SUN JOURNAL • May 25, 2025
At Lewiston elementary schools, teachers are helping kids gain a healthy respect for the world around them — and showing them firsthand how actions they take locally can have a big impact. In teaching environmental stewardship, however, educators face a number of challenges, including language barriers, student mental health, and the politics surrounding climate change. The Trump administration has rolled back a series of climate initiatives aimed at reducing pollution, as well as the carbon emissions that are warming the earth to alarming levels. He favors the use of fossil fuels, which cause the carbon emissions, over renewable energy. The administration has also scrubbed environmental resources and mentions of climate change from federal websites. The president’s actions have some wondering whether they can even use the words “climate change” in the classroom.